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Tieflings
"They say my soul is lost. I say it’s not too late for me to win it back." -Hacari Torzalan Origins Homeland: Nerath Folk Heirs of a shattered empire who live in the shadows and do not fear the dark. Heirs to an ancient, infernal bloodline, tieflings have no realms of their own but instead live within human kingdoms and cities. They are descended from human nobles who bargained with dark powers, and long ago their empire subjugated half the world. But the empire was cast down into ruin, and tieflings were left to make their own way in a world that often fears and resents them. Tieflings’ appearance testifies to their infernal blood- line. They have large horns; thick, non-prehensile tails that range in length from 4 to 5 feet; sharply pointed teeth; and eyes that are solid orbs of black, red, white, silver, or gold. Their skin color covers the whole human range and also extends to reds, from a ruddy tan to a brick red. Their hair, cascading down from behind their horns, is as likely to be dark blue, red, or purple as more common human colors. Tieflings favor dark colors and reds, leathers and glossy furs, small spikes and buckles. Tiefling-crafted arms and armor often have an archaic style, hearkening back to the glory of their long-vanished empire. Ages ago, the leaders of the human empire of Bael Turath made pacts with devils to solidify their hold over its enormous territory. Those humans became the first tieflings, and they governed their empire in the name of their infernal masters. In time, Bael Turath came into conflict with Arkhosia, the ancient empire of the dragonborn, and decades of warfare left both empires in ruins. Bael Turath’s grand capital was thrown down in ruin. Tieflings are the heirs of the surviving noble dynasties that ruled the empire. Their bloodline is tainted by their diabolical connections, passing to their descendants through all generations. In many ways, they are human; they can have children with humans, for example, but their offspring are always tieflings. Centuries of other races’ distrust and outright hatred have made tieflings self-reliant and often too willing to live up to the stereotypes imposed on them. As a race without a homeland, tieflings know that they have to make their own way in the world and that they have to be strong to survive, and they are not quick to trust anyone who claims to be a friend. However, when a tiefling’s companions demonstrate that they trust him or her, the tiefling quickly learns to extend the same trust to them. And once a tiefling gives someone trust and loyalty, the tiefling is a firm friend and ally for life. Although the nobles of Bael Turath subjugated themselves to devils, most present-day tieflings give little thought to gods or patrons, preferring to look out for themselves. Therefore, they do not often follow the path of the divine; tiefling clerics or paladins are rare. Tieflings are not numerous. Sometimes a tiefling merchant clan that is descended from a Bael Turath dynasty settles as a group in a land where wealth can purchase safety and comfort. But most tieflings are born outside such hidden dynasties and grow up in the roughest quarters of human cities and towns. These tieflings often become swindlers, thieves, or crime lords, who carve out a niche for themselves amid the squalor of their surroundings. History In the period after the fall of Bael Turath, the world became a smaller place. Continent-spanning empires had been shattered into a thousand separate states. Survivors clung to each other and guarded themselves against the roving horrors unleashed during the War of Ruin. New monstrous societies flourished amid the ashes, and old evils stirred to claim their places in the sun once more. What were once considered petty fiefdoms of humanity could now be viewed as some of the mightiest nations of the age. The fate of the tieflings during this dark time cannot be broadly categorized. Some found themselves blamed for the Cataclysm and hunted. Others were seen as heroes of the past and the only hope against encroaching chaos. Many simply struggled to survive alongside humans and the members of other races. In most places where humans were found, tieflings could be found also, although almost always in smaller number. Their ability to breed true with humans allowed tieflings to tenaciously cling to existence alongside their adaptable cousins. Yet their obvious physical differences have always set tieflings apart and exposed them to prejudicial treatment. A tiefling’s appearance is a constant reminder of humanity’s hubris and the danger that comes with the all-too-human tendency to take chances. Today tieflings often share space with any group who’ll have them. A city might host dozens or hundreds of tieflings, while a town might not have seen a tiefling darken its doors for generations. Communities of tieflings often live in protected enclaves, either particular neighborhoods or true fortresses, but just as often, a tiefling is a loner, a traveling seeker of power, comfort, or good fortune wherever it might lie. The ruins of Bael Turath jut up from the ground or fester beneath the earth in many places. These reminders of the glories of the past often inspire thoughts of a new tiefling empire, resurrecting the legend that a chosen one among the tieflings will rediscover the Athanaeum and usher in a new age. But that dream for many tieflings is a nightmare for others. True tiefling nations, if they exist, must be hidden or small. Some tieflings claim the “pure” blood of the old noble lines and establish aristocratic houses, but the truth of these claims can rarely be verified. Tieflings more often gain leadership over a people or place in the same ways that any human ruler might do so: through conquest, charisma, or manipulation. Whether such places are points of light or shadows in the darkness depends much upon the tieflings involved. Indeed, the fate of tieflings today lies very much in each individual’s hands, although ancestral bargains might still force some price to be paid. Category:Race Category:Hybrid